The Charge d' Affaires of the Embassy of Zimbabwe to Botswana, Ms. Margaret Ruparanganda paid a courtesy call on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Her Excellency Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax on 19th March 2019, in Gaborone, Botswana, to formally introduce herself following her appointment on the 10th December 2018.
Ms. Ruparanganda thanked the SADC Executive Secretary for the opportunity accorded to her to visit the Secretariat. She informed the Executive Secretary that she is settling well in Botswana, and has already met with the Government of Botswana, including the Botswana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honorable Dr. Unity Dow. She pledged the commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe in fostering the SADC Regional Integration Agenda.
She briefed the Executive Secretary about the damage caused by tropical cyclone Idai, and indicated that humanitarian response was being mobilized from Zimbabweans and various other stakeholders in Botswana, and outside Botswana in line with the statement issued by His Excellency President Emerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
The SADC Executive Secretary, congratulated Ms Ruparanganda for her well-deserved appointment, and cordially welcomed her to the SADC family. The Executive Secretary also expressed her deep condolences for the loss of lives, injuries and the wanton destruction caused by the cyclone Idai, and emphasized the need for strengthening the SADC Regional Disaster Response mechanisms to be able to assist in such circumstances. Her Excellency, Dr. Tax, noted that Ms. Ruparanganda has already started her work as evidenced by her attendance at the meeting of the Committee of Ambassadors held in Gaborone on 28th February and the Council of Ministers' meeting held in Windhoek, Namibia on 17th March 2019. The SADC Executive Secretary assured the Charge 'd Affaires of the SADC Secretariat's continued support to the Republic of Zimbabwe.
The two Parties committed to continue working together to foster growth and development for the benefit of the peoples of the SADC region.
